Variable-speed-transmitting gearing.



No. 874,747. PATENTED 15110.24, 1907. J. A. DE VITO.

VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMITTING GEARING.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN.12. 1906.

THE ivonms PETERS ca, wAsmum-on, n. c.

No. 874,747. PATENTED 13130.24, 1907.

J.- A, DHVITO. VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMITTING GBARING.'

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E dzwvmww WT W JOHN A. DE VITO, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS,

VARIABLE-SPEED-TRANSMITTING GEARING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24, 1907.

Application filed January 12, 1906. Serial No. 295,698.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. DE VITO, a citizen of the United States,residing in Boston, in the county of Sufiolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented an Improvement in Variable-Speed-Transmitting Gearing, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representinglike parts.

This invention relates to a variable speed transmitting gearingespecially designed and adapted among other uses to be employed inautomobile vehicles. For this purpose I employ a plurality of spur gearsarranged on substantially parallel shafts with their teeth in mesh, andprovide means as will be described for connecting the driven shaft withthe driving shaft through one of said gears according to the speeddesired.

Provision'is made for insuring operation of the speed-changing devicewhile the driving shaft is operating at a high speed.

These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in theclaims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a speed-changing gearing embodying thisinvention. Figs. 2 and 3, details to be referred to. Fig. 4, a frontelevation of the gearing shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5, a side elevationlooking toward the left in Fig. 1. Fig. 6, a longitudinal section on theline 66-, Figs. 1 and 7. Fig. 7, a detail in cross-section to bereferred to, and Fig. 8, a detail of the key shown in Fig. 6.

Referring to Fig. 1, a represents the main or driving shaft, b, theshaft to be driven and c, a counter shaft. The shaft a is provided witha socket d for the reception of the reduced end 0 of the shaft Z) (seeFig. 6). In the present instance, provision is made for rotating theshaft b at three difierent speeds, and for this purpose, three sets ofgears are provided.

One set of gears consists of a spur gear f fast on the shaft a, whichmeshes with a spur gear 9 loose on the counter shaft 0. A second setconsists of a spur gear h loose 011 the shaft 1), which meshes with aspur gear t fast on the counter shaft 0. A third set consists of thespur gear j loose on the shaft 1) which meshes with a gear lc fast onthe shaft 0. The gears f, h and j are adapted to be coupled to thedriven shaft 5 by means of a key 10 adapted to be moved longitudinallyof the shaft 6 in a key-way or slot 12 therein, the said key beingdesigned to be engaged with one of the gears f, h and j according to thespeed desired. The key 10 is pivoted at its rear end to a member 15movable in the slot 12 and connected with a gear 16 so as to key thesame to the shaft 6 and to be moved with said gear longitudinally on theshaft 1). The gear 16 is moved longitudinally on the shaft 1) by anextensible lever comprising the members 18, 19, the member 19 beingpivoted at 20 and having a socket 21 into which the member 18 extends.

The pivoted key 10 is provided at its front end with an enlargement orhead 23 (see Fig. 8), preferably beveled in opposite directions as at24, 25, and the gears f, h and j are provided with annular recesses 26on their inner circumference and with lugs or projections 27 (see Figs.3 and 7), which extend into said recesses and are adapted to be engagedby the head 23 on the pivoted key 10 so as to clutch or couple the gearsy', h, f, to the shaft 6. The pivoted key 10 is thrown out into the pathof the lugs 27 by a spring 28. The shaft 6 may be driven at differentspeeds by engaging the key 10 with the gears 3', h, f. Provision is madefor connecting the counter-shaft c with the driving shaft a when theshaft 1) is to be driven at the low and intermediate speeds and to bedisconnected from said driving shaft when the shaft 1) is to be drivenat high speed. This result may be accomplished as herein shown by meansof a clutch which is connected with the lever 19 which moves the key.The clutch referred to, may be made as herein shown and comprises a hub30, which is keyed to the counter shaft 0 to move longitudinally thereonand is provided with one or more projections 31, which engage one ormore projections or lugs 32 on the gear g, the lugs 32 being preferablymade inclined to facilitate their engagement with the clutch hub 30. Theclutch hub 30 is moved on the shaft cby a lever 34pivoted at 35 andconnected with the lever 19 by a link or rod 36 having a slot 37 intowhich extends a pin 38 on the lever 19. This construction permits of alimited movement of the lever 19 without affecting the clutch hub, for apurpose as will be described. The clutch hub 30 is automaticallymaintained in engagement with the gear g under conditions as will bedescribed by a spring 39, the tension or power of which can beadjustedbythe nut 40 engaging the threaded rod or bolt 41.

The key-operating lever 19 may be turned on its pivot 20, as hereinshown, by moving a crank or handle 43 attached to a rockshaft 44, whichis provided with a second crank 45 joined by a rod or link 46 to thelever 19, the link 46 being connected to the lever 19 by a substantiallyuniversal joint, formed in the present instance by a block 47 which ispivoted in the forked end of the link or red 46 and to which the lever19 is pivoted at 48 substantially at right angles to the pivot 49 forsaid block.

By reference to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that when the handle 43is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow 50, the lever 19 isturned so as to move the gear 16 and the pivoted key in the directionindicated by the arrow 51.

The extent of movement of the handle 43 determines the speed at whichthe shaft b is to be driven, for by moving the key 10 so that its head23 registers with the annular recess in the gear j, the said head isprojected out of its keyway into said recess by the spring 28 and isengaged by the lug 27 during rotation of the gear j, thereby clutchingthe shaft 1) to the gear j, which is driven from the main shaft athrough the gears f, g, 76. WVhen it is desired to rotate the shaft I)at an intermediate speed, the key 10 is further moved in the directionindicated by the arrow 51 and its head 23 is brought into line with theannular recess of the gear h, into which recess said head is moved bythe spring 28 and is engaged by the lug 27 on said gear, therebyclutching the shaft 1) with the gear h, which is rotated from the sh afta by the gears f, g, i. When it is desired to rotate the shaft 1) athigh speed, the key 10 is moved still further in the direction indicatedby the arrow 51 until its head 23 registers with the annular recess 26in the gear f, into which it is moved by the spring 28 and wherein it isengaged by the lug 27 on said gear, thereby clutching the shaft 6 to thegear f which is fast on the driving shaft a.

To facilitate engagement and disengagement of the key 10 with the gearsj, 7L, and f,

may be beveled or inclined as at 60, and the hub of the gear may also bebeveled as at 61 (see Fig. 6).

From the above description and by reference to Fig. 1, it will be seenthat the shaft a 15 continuously driven and the gear f fast thereon isrotated continuously, as is also the gear g. With the key lever 19 inthe posi tion shown in Fig. 1, the gear g is clutched to thecounter-shaft c which is thus rotated continuously, and as the gears i,76 are fast on the counter-shaft, these gears are rotated continuouslyand drive the gears h, y' continuously. With the lever 19 in theposition shown in Fig. 1, the clutch member 30 is held in engagementwith the clutch member. 32 on the gear 9 by the spring 39, whichmaintains said engagement until the lever 19 is turned into the positionit occupies when the key 10 is engaged with the gear f, at which timethe pin 38 engages the end of its slot 37 and moves the link 36 so as todisengage the clutch member 30 from the gear g, thereby disconnectingthe counter-shaft c from the driving shaft a, and avoiding wear andnoise from this source. The key operating lever 19 may be locked intothe various positions into which it is moved by means of a pawl or dog63 having a substantially V-shaped end which is adapted to be forced bya spring 64 into one of a series of V-shaped notches 65, 66, 67 in acurved bar 68, the notch 69 correspending 0 the neutral or disengagedposition of the key 10, and the notches 65, 66, 67 to the lower,intermediate and high speeds respectively. Provision is made forreversing the rotation of the shaft 1), and for this purpose, the shaft0 has fast on it a gear 70, which meshes with an intermediate gear 71mounted on a stud shaft 72 (see Fig. 5) supported by the framework 73and with which the gear 16 is adapted to be engaged by moving theoperating handle 1.9 in the direction opposite to that indicated by thearrow 50.

To prevent accidental reversal of the driven shaft, the handle 43carries a locking dog orpawl 7 5, which is normally pressed by a spring76 into position to engage a shoulder 77 on the bar 68, so that if itshould be attempted to reverse the handle without first lifting up thelocking dog 75, the latter would engage the shoulder 77 and therebyprevent movement of the handle until the dog is lifted, which may beaccomplished by a finger or lever 80 pivoted to'the handle 43 andconnected by a link 81 to the locking dog 75.

By providing the gears h and with annular recesses on their innercircumference, ample opportunity is afforded for the engagement of thehead of the key with the lugs 27 extended into said recesses, therebyinsuring the driven shaft being coupled to the said gears even when thelatter are rotating at the side walls of the recesses 26 in said gearshigh speed.

Claims.

1. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a drivingshaft, a gear fast thereon, a driven shaft in alinement with saiddriving shaft, a plurality of gears loose thereon, a counter-shaft, agear normally loose thereon and meshing with the gear on said drivingshaft, a plurality of gears fast on said counter-shaft and meshing withthe gears on said driven shaft, a clutch cooperating with the gearnormally loose on the counter-shaft to render the same fast thereon, aclutch mechanism cooperating with the gears normally loose on the drivenshaft to render said gears fast on said driven shaft, and mechanism foroperating said clutches, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, in combination, adriving shaft, a gear fast thereon, a driven shaft having a key-way, aplurality of gears loose on said shaft and having an annular .recess ontheir inner circumference provided with a lug or projection, acounter-shaft, a gear normally loose thereon and meshing with the gearon the driving shaft, a clutch to render the loose gear on saidcounter-shaft fast thereon, a plurality of gears fast on thecounter-shaft and meshing with the gears on the driven shaft, a pivotedkey movable in the said keyway and cooperating with the lugs of thegears on said driven shaft to clutch the said gears to said drivenshaft, and means to move said key, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a mainshaft, a gear fast thereon, a driven shaft provided with a longitudinalkey-way, a plurality of gears normally loose on said driven shaft, acounter shaft, gears thereon in mesh with the gears on said driving anddriven shafts, a key movable in said key-way and cooperating with thegears on said drive couple the said gears to said shaft, a gear movablelongitudinally on said driven shaft and keyed thereto, a gear fast onsaid counter shaft, and an intermediate gear meshing with the gear onsaid counter shaft and adapted to be engaged by the gear movable on saiddriven shaft, a lever to move the gear longitudinally on said drivenshaft, a rockshaft, means to connect the said lever to said rock shaft,a handle on said rock shaft, a notched bar, a pawl or dog carried bysaid handle and cooperating with the notches in said bar, and a secondpawl or dog carried by said handle and engaging said bar to preventmovement of the said handle to reverse rotation of the driven shaftuntil said second pawl or dog is disengaged from said bar, substantiallyas described.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, arotatable shaft having a longitudinal key-way, a gear normally loose onsaid shaft, a key movable in said key-way and cooperating with said gearto couple the same to said shaft when said key is moved in onedirection, a second gear secured to said key to move therewith, a thirdgear with which the gear attached to the key cooperates when said key ismoved in shaft to the reverse direction, means to rotate said third gearand produce reverse rotation of the said rotatable shaft when saidsliding gear is in mesh with said third gear, mechanism for moving saidkey and the gear attached thereto longitudinally on said shaft, andmeans for limiting the movement of said mechanism to prevent accidentalreversal of the rotatable shaft, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a drivingshaft, a gear fast thereon, a counter-shaft, a gear normally loose onsaid counter-shaft, a clutch on the counter-shaft to render the saidloose gear fast thereon, a gear fast on said counter-shaft, a drivenshaft, a gear normally loose thereon and meshing with the gear fast onsaid counter-shaft, a key cooperating with the gear loose on the drivenshaft to render the same fast on said shaft and also cooperating withthe gear fast on the driving shaft to connect the driven shaft directlywith said driving shaft, a lever to move said key, a lever to operatethe clutch on the counter-shaft, and means to connect saidclutch-operating lever with said key-operating lever, substantially asdescribed.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a drivingshaft, a gear fast thereon, a counter-shaft, a gear normally loose onsaid counter-shaft, a clutch on the counter-shaft to render the said.loose gear fast thereon, a gear fast on said counter-shaft, a drivenshaft, a gear normally loose thereon and meshing with the gear fast onsaid counter-shaft, a key cooperating with the gear loose on the drivenshaft to render the same fast on said shaft and also cooperating withthe gear fast on the driving shaft to connect the driven shaft directlywith said driving shaft, a lever to move said key, a lever to operatethe clutch on the counter-shaft, a spring to normally engage said clutchwith its cooperating gear, and means for connecting saidclutch-operating lever with said key-operating lever, said means havingprovision for permitting the key-operating lever to be movedindependently of said clutch lever, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN A. DE VITO. lVitnesses:

JAs. H. CHURCHILL,

J. MURPHY.

